Automatic bagging machine



Sept. 8, 1970 R. w. PITTS, JR AL AUTOMATIC BAGGING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, '1967 m a 5mm 2 P M 2 my 7 g MR ATTORNEYUnited States Patent O p 3,527,021 AUTOMATIC BAGGING MACHINE Robert W.Pitts, Jr., 7710 Barberton 77036, and Malone H. Farrar, 5763 S. ReedRoad 77033, both of Houston, Tex.

Filed Oct. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 672,103 Int. Cl. B65h 43/36 US. Cl. 53385Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Packaging apparatus preferablyinflating a folded bag by means of vacuum engagement with the exteriorto permit entry of an item or items through the mouth into the bag;means for reciprocating said vacuum engagement means while engaging thebag to free the bag of impediments and thereby release the bag to permitfilling of a subsequent bag.

RELATED APPLICATIONS Applicants have a related application bearing Ser.No. 611,116, now Pat. No. 3,468,102, which was filed Jan. 13, 1967.

SUMMARY OF PROBLEM AND INVENTION The bagging apparatus in the abovenoted disclosure is quite successful in its intended operation. However,to further enhance the speed of packaging large quantities of items,there exists a need to disengage the filled bag from the packagingapparatus wherein it is typically placed on a conveyor belt fortransportation to packing crates or the like. With this problem in view,the present invention is summarized as providing means for opening theuppermost or outermost of a plurality of bags by directing an air streamtoward its mouth to at least partially open the bag; said device furtherincluding vacuum engaging means generally contoured to the shape of thebag and which span a substantial portion of its length to hold open thetopmost bag; said device further including means for reciprocating saidbag engaging means to pull the topmost bag free from the plurality, thevacuum engaging means disengaging the filled bag to permit access to thenext bag.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedpackaging apparatus which packs solid material, particulated material,granular material and the like, in an open bag repetitively.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedpackaging apparatus which packs and places on a conveyor belt thecompleted package in cooperation with a stacked plurality of collapsedbags.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved packaging apparatus which holds a container fully open withoutimpeding insertion of the product by placing holders, fingers or thelike within the container.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved packaging apparatus which opens each of several bags instep-wise fashion whereby each bag is first partially opened, and thenfully opened by vacuum engaging means.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedpackaging apparatus for use with several bags which utilizes a minimumof movements to fill a bag, remove the filled bag from the apparatus,and prepare the apparatus for filling a subsequent bag.

A related object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved packaging apparatus for use with a plurality of bags whichengages substantially the full length of an open bag during the processof filling the 3,527,021 Patented Sept. 8, 1970 bag whereby suitablesupport for the bag is maintained.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become morereadily apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the packaging apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1illustrating sequential operation wherein the bag is fully opened by thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the bag essentiallyfull;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates reciprocation of theapparatus to free the filled bag of all impediments preliminary tofilling the next bag; and,

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of operation of the present invention.

Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustratesthe preferred embodiment 8 of the present invention. An upstanding,enclosed cabinet 10 is adapted to receive a plurality of collapsed,folded bags 14 releasably supported or secured thereon in an uprightposition by a support member, such as a wicket 12, that pierces an upperlip on the rear side of each bag and along its mouth. An air duct 15directs a stream of air toward the topmost folded bag to partially openthe bag. As the bag partially opens, it is fully opened as its forwardor outermost external surface is grasped by a vacuum engaging means 16incorporating a plurality of small holes through which air is drawn toopen the bag. The open bag is then fully open for receiving items to bepackaged therein. After an interval of time during which the bag isfilled, the vacuum engaging means 16 reciprocates on the means 18 with asliding motion. The sliding motion pulls the vacuum engaged bagsufiiciently to tear the upper lip free of the Wicket 12 to then permitthe bag to be supported solely by the vacuum engaging means. At thisjuncture, the vacuum is interrupted, freeing the filled bag of thevacuum engaging means and the apparatus. The vacuum engaging means isreturned by the means 18 to its original position over the bags 14 tore-start the cycle of operation above described and to thereby providean automatically sequenced repetitive bag-filling machine.

Considering the invention more in detail, the closed upright cabinet 10is preferably a six-walled device fabricated of stainless steel or othersubstantial structural members. It has two portions, one being indicatedby the numeral 20 and the other indicated at 21, the two portions beingroughly equal in size. The portion 20 is more clearly shown in FIG. 2 asincluding a back wall 22 and upper surface 23, and a bag supportingplate 24. It will be noted that the embodiment 8 stands upright asillustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 2 although several operativesteps are more conveniently described as though the apparatus 8 werepositioned horizontally. The machine can operate at several attitudesranging from the illustrated vertical position to an inclined position.For example, the topmost or uppermost bag refers to the bag exposed onthe stack without regard to the angular position of the presentinvention.

Returning again to the construction of the means 20. a side wallparallel to the plane of FIG. 2 is incorporated on the opposite side ofthe apparatus and is provided with louvers or other vents to permitentrance of air to the blower means 25. The means 25 incorporates aconventional electric motor which drives a squirrel cage blower with airentering at opposite ends of the cage blower. It will be noted that theoutlet 15 extends in the form of a slightly raised lip toward the bags14 as best shown in FIG. 1. A jet of air directed toward the pluralityof bags 14 at least partially opens the uppermost bag as will bedescribed.

To provide a great quantity of bags needed in operation of the presentinvention, the plate 24 is loaded with a stack of bags. The pallet ispressed downwardly against a pair of springs 26 and 27 which maintainthe plate 24 essentially parallel to the plate 22. The plurality of bags14 is substantially thick when placed on the plate 24. For instance, twohundred fifty bags in one bundle or stack may be mounted on the plate asa single package. The bags are secured beneath the wicket 12 whichclamps or pierces the upper lip along the rear of each of the bags, itbeing appreciated that the lower lip is clamped only by the stack ofbags on it. As described in the co-pending disclosure, a metal bead 28or small rod is welded or otherwise fixed to the plate 24 to form aslight hump in the bags so that the upper lip of the topmost bag tendsto bow open for easy reception of the stream of air from the opening 15.

As disclosed in the co-pending application, the plurality of bags 14 arecarried on the spring mounting so that the uppermost bag, whether thefirst or last of the stack, is

consistently positioned with respect to the air stream.

More specifically, the wicket shown in the co-pending disclosure isurged toward a lip which limits movement of the bags. The lip, beingfixed in position, the topmost bag is registered with respect to thelip, and therefore with respect to the air stream. In the presentembodiment, this is of some assistance.

The wicket 12 cooperates with the spring-loaded carrier plate 24 to feedthe bags to the apparatus. As shown in the drawings, the width of thewicket 12 is substantially less than the width of the stacked and foldedbags. The wicket 12 has a pair of pointed members or legs whichpenetrate holes in the upper lip. The bags are preferably perforatedfrom the holes to the edge for easy tear-away from the wicket 12.

Attention is next directed to the upright cabinet portion 21. The means21 preferably has a back wall coplanar with the wall 22 shown in FIG. 2.The volume of the means 21 is preferably less than that of the means inFIG. 1; one function of the means 21 is to support a vacuum source aswill be described. A plurality of louvers (not shown) is formed in thereverse side to vent the outflow from the vacuum device. Othermechanical means, including the timing means to be discussed with regardto FIG. 5, are also included in the container 21.

The surface 32 of the means 21 has apparatus pertinent to movement ofthe vacuum engaging means 16 mounted on it. More particularly, a pair offacing guide members 33 and 34 are spaced apart with facing slots whichreceive the edges of the reciprocating member 18. The means 18 islimited in motion to reciprocation in the slots 33 and 34. Thereciprocating means 18 is joined to the fixed side of a piano hinge 35which serves as an axis of rotation of a support arm 36. The support arm36 preferably incorporates a stop means for contact against the surface18 to limit its rotation. The hinge 35 rotates the support arm 36 andthe attached vacuum engaging means 16 to lift the vacuum engaging means16 away from the bags 14 should the need arise as in adding additionalbags to the stack. The vacuum engaging means 16 is joined to the supportarm 36 by appropriate sheet metal fabrication techniques and preferablyrests its full weight on the arm 36. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower edge16a of the vacuum engaging means 16 is positioned above and is notrested on the bags 14, this view further showing the fact that the means16 is preferably cantilevered above the bags 14.

When the vacuum engaging means 16 is moved about the hinge 35, access ispermitted to the plate 24 to add or remove bags. Moreover, the stopmeans on the support arm 36 engaging the means 18 positions the vacuumengaging means with proper spacing from the bags 14. If desired,suitable attaching means are secured between the support arm 36 and themounting plate 18 to fix the support arm in the position of FIG. 1whereby the means 16. 18 and 36 reciprocate together as a unit.

As noted above, the vacuum engaging means 16 is a double walled devicewhich is closed at the end walls indicated by 16b (FIG. 1). One opening160, and several similar internally located openings within thesubstantially elongated structure suck the partially opened bag into thefully opened condition. The double walled construction confines thevacuum flow to the holes 16c. The source of vacuum is communicatedthrough a flexible hose 40 connected with a cowling 41 joined with theside wall of the vacuum engaging means 16. The flexible hose or tubing41 permits movement of the means 16 while communicating the vacuum fiowfrom the vacuum source to the means 16. The flexible tubing 40 passesinto the cabinet means at a side wall to the vacuum source within thecontainer means 21, it being appreciated that one suitable source is aconventional squirrel cage blower and electric motor.

Note should be taken of details of construction of the apparatusillustrated in FIG. 1. Preferably, it is of substantial size toaccommodate containers having a folded width of perhaps ten or twelveinches. The principal limitations on size result more from flimsiness ofthe bags rather than the present invention. The structure issubstantially large to accommodate a large bag even though a smaller bagand vacuum engaging means 16 are installed. The height and width of themeans 16 is subject to a range of variation and is, in large part,related to the more specific details of the package. The presentinvention is adapted for use with containers or bags which arerelatively wide or narrow, as desired, and which also vary substantiallyin height. Also, the contour of the means 16 surrounding the bag is, inlarge part, determined by the shape of the container.

The present invention is preferably made of stainless steel or the like.Some environmental conditions for use of the present invention involveexposure to a variety of possibly corrosive chemicals, depending on theapplication of the present invention.

More should be noted concerning the apparatus concealed within thecontainer 21. As noted hereinabove, the vacuum blower is installedpreferably within the cabinet 10. The vacuum source is connected to thevacuum conduit 40 to draw air through the openings 16c into the doublewalled means 16. The vacuum flow continues to the vacuum pump or blower,and is vented to atmosphere.

Additional means are incorporated in the cabinet means 21. Thereciprocating plate 18 is actuated by an appropriate mechanism providingoscillatory movement. One such means involves the use of an electricmotor, clutch, if needed, drive shaft, and off-center cam 46. The cam 46is rotated about an offset axis to impart eccentric motion to the plate18 which rests on the cam. The range of movement is related to theoffset between the center point of the cam 46 and the shaft on which itrotates. Preferably, speed changes are accommodated by an electric motorhaving variable speed characteristics. If desired, the motor is geareddown to a slower rate of rotation by an appropriate gear box. However,the present invention has been found operative to speeds of perhapsthirty cycles of operation per minute, a rather rapid filling rate.

Attention is directed to the numbered views to more fully describedoperation of the present invention. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the opened bag isindicated by the numeral 14'. In FIG. 2, a number of loose particlesindicated at 50 fall into the open mouth of the bag 14'. The source ofthe loose particles is beyond the scope of the present invention and isnoted as being a conveyor, measuring device, inlet tube, or the like. InFIG. 3, the loose particles are accumulated in the bag 14'. It will benoted that the weight of the bag and the particles 50 is supported byvacuum engagement of the bag 14 with the vacuum engaging means 16. Also,some support is provided by the wicket 12 which is clipped through onelip of the bag.

In FIG. 4, the last operational step of the present apparatus isillustrated wherein the vacuum engaging means 16 reciprocates downwardlywhile engaging the bag 14'. It will be noted that the perforated bag 14'is torn free of the wicket 12 at the pre-formed holes. The downwardmovement of the vacuum means 16 is in response to the reciprocation ofthe carrier plate 18 and the support arm 36. As shown in FIG. 4, thedownward movement of the present invention results from the rotating cam46. Simultaneously with downward movement of the vacuum engaging means16 is interruption of the vacuum flow to loosen the grip of the engagingmeans 16 on the filled container 14'. At the juncture illustrated inFIG. 4, the only support for the bag and the packaged ingredients is thevacuum, and when this is released, the bag and the packaged contentsdrop through the lower open end of the engaging means 16 to completeoperation of the invention. Further packaging steps include cooperationwith a conveyor belt which conducts the open-mouthed package to asealing device which closes the package.

Note should be taken of the timing of the various and sundry steps inoperation of the present invention. For this purpose, attention isdirected to FIG. of the drawings. A timing chart representative of onecycle of opera- ,tion is shown, wherein the zero degree indication ofthe chart occurs when the carriage plate 18 is at its lowermost position(see FIG. 4). As defined above, this occurs after the down-stroke of thevacuum engaging means 16 which tears the filled package or bag from thewicket 12. The upstroke of the means 18 and 36 occurs during the firstone hundred eighty degrees of the timing cycle. The down stroke occursduring the last one hundred eighty degrees of the cycle, it beingappreciated that there is substantially no dwell time at the end ofeither stroke. Beginning near the mid-cycle point (after 180 of thecycle), the vacuum engaging means 16 is carried to the position of FIG.1 and an air stream from the duct 15 opens the topmost bag 14. The bagpops open in a perhaps irregular manner and balloons at leastfractionally to perhaps onethird of its size. At this point, vacuum flowis initiated and the air flow through the perforations 16c picks up thebag 14' and expands it to its full size. As shown in FIG. 5, the vacuumflow is maintained for the remainder of the cycle while the air streamis interrupted. Attention is particularly directed to the wave form 60in FIG. 5 which illustrates the timing cycle during which the air streamflows. The air stream begins slightly before and in approximatesynchronism with the movement of the vacuum engaging means 16 to itsuppermost position (see FIG. 1). The wave form 60 indicates that the airstream flow is prolonged for an interval only sufficient to reliablyopen the mouth of the bag 14.

The numeral 62 indicates the vacuum flow timing chart which startsbefore interruption of the air stream flow 60. The vacuum fiovtcontinues to the end of the cycle. More particularly, vacuum flow ismaintained while the vacuum engaging means 16 pulls away from the wicket12 to tear the bag 14' free of the wicket. Only then is the vacuumterminated whereupon sufiicient time elapses during reciprocation of theengaging means 16 to its original position to permit the bag to dropfree of the apparatus.

To provide air and vacuum flow, it is preferable to utilize constantlyrunning motor driven blowers with actual air flow control achieved bybutterfly or flapper valves. Moreover, the timing chart of FIG. 5 ispreferably implemented in the present invention by the use of a shaftrotating in synchronism with the cam 56. The shaft rotates individualcams adjacent the contacts of microswitches whichcontrol solenoidspositioning the butterfly valves to gate the air and vacuum flow off andon as illustrated in FIG. 5.

To further enhance understanding of the present invention, its use andoperation will be described. The stack of bags is first loaded on theplate 24 in the followbag form having a hollowed portion with aperforated ing manner. Preferably, the bags are manufactured inregistered stacks of perhaps two or three hundred. The bags are placedon the plate 24 and positioned on the head 28 which focuses the openmouth of the top bag to receive the air flow from the duct 15. Thewicket 12, which is prepositioned in the holes in the bags, incorporatesa pair of legs penetrating the bags which extend through openings in theplate 24. Since the width of the bag can vary as well as the width ofthe wicket 12, preferably a slot is formed in the plate 24 for receivingthe wicket in position. This prepares the present apparatus foroperation.

In operation, the present apparatus sequentially bags the products 50.By the use of automatic inserting equipment and automatic packagesealing equipment, it is possible to fill as many as thirty bags perminute. When the apparatus uses all of the bags 14, refilling is quicklyachieved by swinging the vacuum engaging means 16 out of the way foraccess to the plate 24. A stack of bags is placed on the plate24 inrapid order and the vacuum engaging means 16 is returned to theillustrated position of the drawings.

Should the apparatus be used for difl erent bag sizes or shapes, it ispreferable to fabricate the vacuum engaging means 16 as a detachableitem. More specifically, the cowling 41 is preferably a plug-in devicewhich is connected with an opening of uniform size in a family ofdevices 16. Moreover, the same is true for connection with the supportarm 36.

While numerous alterations and variations in the present invention canbe noted, such as changes in the location of the apparatus and angle ofposition from that shown in the drawings, the scope of the presentinvention is determined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus adapted for sequentially packaging a plurality of articlesinto successive ones of a plurality of bags of a flexible, imperforatematerial and comprising: bag-supporting means adapted for releasablysupporting a plurality of such bags initially stacked along a selectedaxis in a closed and flattened relationship; first means adapted orsuccessively opening and separating the outermost bag from the otherstacked bags and including a concave surface complementally defining theopened configuration of at least the forward portion of one of suchbags, means operative for repetitively moving said bag form back andforth between a first position where said concave surface thereof isfacing and adjacent the stacked bags for receiving the outermost onethereof and a second position where said bag form is transverselydisplaced a sufficient distance away from said selected axis and saidbag-supporting means for releasing a bag retained on said bag form fromsaid bag-supporting means, suction means operative for developing areduced pressure within said hollowed portion of said bag form ofsufficient magnitude to retain a bag opened against said concave surfaceupon movement of said bag form to its said second position for releasinga bag retained thereon from said bag-supporting means, and means adaptedfor selectively operating said suction means when said bag form ismoving between its said first and second positions and discontinuingoperation of said suction means when said bag form is in its said secondposition; and second means adapted for successively depositing articlesinto each of such opened bags before said bag form has moved to its saidsecond position.

2. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means furtherinclude means adapted for directing a. stream of air toward the stackedbags in such a manner that the mouth of the outermost bag thereof willbe at least partially opened upon operation of said suction means.

3. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the stacked bagshave a rearward portion adjacent to its month and said bag-supportingmeans include a support adapted for piercing the rearward portions ofthe stacked bags so that movement of said bag form toward its saidsecond position will be effective for tearing said rearward portion of abag retained on said bag form from said support.

4. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bag-supporting meansinclude a support extending along said selected axis and adapted forreleasably supporting the rearward portion adjacent to the mouth of eachof the stacked bags; and said first means further include meanssupporting said bag form for reciprocating movement in a plane parallelto the forward portion of the stacked bags and intersecting saidselected axis so that movement of said bag form toward its said secondposition will be effective for releasing the rearward portion of a bagretained on said bag form from said support.

5. The packaging apparatus of claim 4 wherein said support is adaptedfor piercing the rearward portions so that movement of said bag formwill be effective for tearing the weakened portion of a bag retained onsaid bag form from said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, PrimaryExaminer H. M. CULVER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 53386

